10 years of we4DRR – a decade of exchange, capacity building, and impact
Celebrating 10 years of we4DRR, founder Maria Patek reflects on the network’s beginnings – from the initial idea to its official launch in March 2016. Together with founding members, she looks back on what we4DRR represented at its establishment and what it stands for today: a decade of exchange, collaboration, and lasting impact in Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR).
Key facts:
- We4DRR was launched during a symposium held from 2–4 March 2016 at the Women’s Museum in Hittisau, Austria.
- The initiative was led by Maria Patek, then Head of the Austrian Service for Torrent and Avalanche Control (WLV).
- Female professionals from different countries and backgrounds in DRR were invited to participate.
- The aim was to enhance the visibility of women in DRR, foster knowledge exchange and learning, and promote gender mainstreaming in the field.
Why a Women’s Network in Disaster Risk Management?
“Since 2010, I have encountered women’s networks in disaster risk management at international conferences, particularly those from Asia and the Global South.
The main theme in these networks was the different impact of disaster events on women versus men. At first, I thought this wouldn’t be an issue in our latitudes, but the more I engaged with it, the more I became convinced that a differentiated perspective is necessary here as well.
Over the years, I attended more and more side events organized by women on these topics and used every opportunity for networking and exchange. I was inspired every time, and the professional “women’s conversations” were personally very beneficial to me.
During the negotiations of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction in 2015, I had the opportunity to attend a presentation on Women’s Leadership in DRR, and that’s when my decision matured to establish a women’s network for disaster risk management in Europe.
Allies were sought and found. Forty women from Serbia, Italy, Switzerland, France, Germany, and Austria met a year later at the Women’s Museum in Hittisau, Austria, to found the women exchange for Disaster Risk Reduction (we4DRR) network.
What remains most vivid in my memory from that meeting is the extraordinary openness, the positive atmosphere, the sense of trust, and the focused collaboration. We could not have hoped for a better start.”
Maria Patek, Founder of we4DRR
Voices of we4DRR
Women who have shaped and built the network women for disaster risk reduction from the very beginning share their reflections on the network’s history, impact, and ongoing development. They reflect on:
- the relevance of we4DRR at the time of its founding and today,
- how their membership has influenced them professionally and personally, and
- what continues to motivate them to be part of the network.
From 40 to 270+
What began as a gathering of 40 women has grown into an international network of more than 270 current, past, and future female professionals across science, policy, and practice.
Over the past decade, we4DRR has:
- provided a platform for exchange and collaboration,
- connected like-minded women across Europe and beyond,
- strengthened capacity building efforts in DRR,
- highlighted women’s contributions to DRR,
- promoted gender-inclusive approaches in DRR, and
- empowered female professionals across science, policy, and practice.
Here’s to the next 10 years of lasting impact in Disaster Risk Reduction.